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“Man With 1,000 Kids” Takes On Netflix In Surprising Legal Battle
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“Man With 1,000 Kids” Takes On Netflix In Surprising Legal Battle

Jonathan Meijer Takes Legal Action Against Netflix For Jonathan Meijer, Jonathan Meijer To Sue Netflix Over The True Story Behind “The Man With 1,000 Kids” Who Plans To Sue NetflixDutch Sperm Donor Sues Netflix Over Controversial DocumentaryJonathan Meijer Files Suit Over Netflix's Donor With 1000 Children Plans To Sue Netflix Over Netflix Faces Lawsuit From Donor With 1000 Kids Who Claims Doc Is
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Jonathan Jacob Meijer, the controversial Dutch YouTube personality known for his prolific sperm donations, has announced his intention to sue Netflix over their recent documentary series, The Man With 1,000 Kids.

Premiering on July 3, 2024, the three-episode documentary explores Meijer’s claim to have fathered hundreds, if not thousands, of children through sperm banks worldwide.

Highlights
  • His lawyer announced their intentions to sue the media company in a press release
  • Danger of incest and psychological damage are some of the concerns surrounding the issue
  • Meijer was already banned from donating in 2023, after breaking local laws

The feature highlights allegations that Meijer misled families about the extent of his donations, leading to concerns about accidental incest and ethical breaches within the fertility industry.

RELATED:

    Jonathan Jacob Meijer, the controversial YouTuber known for his prolific sperm donations, has announced his intention to sue Netflix over their recent documentary series

    The Hague District Court in the Netherlands issued a significant ruling against the prolific sperm donor known for fathering over 550 children. Judges affirm him to have misled fertility clinics and prospective parents.

    Initially, Dutch fertility clinics imposed strict limits of 25 children per donor across 12 families, guidelines intended to safeguard against genetic risks and ensure responsible donor practices. However, investigations in 2017 revealed that the donor had already exceeded these limits by fathering 102 children through these clinics alone, with additional donations elsewhere undisclosed.

    Meijer was already banned from donating sperm in 2023, and his excesses date back to 2017

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    Image credits: Netflix

    The judge concluded that the donor had deliberately deceived parents about his donation practices, stating that such misinformation influenced their choice of donor and could potentially have harmful psychological consequences for the children, as well as increase the risks of consanguinity within the donor’s extensive genetic network.

    Take a look the official trailer for The Man With 1,000 Kids

    Regardless of the ruling, Meijer remains defiant. “I did absolutely nothing wrong”

    Image credits: Jonathan Jacob Meijer

    In a recent YouTube video, Meijer criticized the series as sensationalized and misleading, stating, “I did absolutely nothing wrong. This documentary is an attack on my character and a distortion of the truth.”

    He further asserted that the title of the series, “The Man With 1,000 Kids,” is exaggerated and defamatory. “I have approximately 550 children, not 1,000,” Meijer claimed, disputing the documentary’s estimation of his offspring.

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    Image credits: Jonathan Jacob Meijer

    The Youtuber explains he did it to “help families achieve their dream of having children”

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    The YouTuber explained that he donated sperm to “help families achieve their dream of having children.” In a video, the content creator recounted how the infertility of a classmate inspired him to donate. In another clip, he explained that because his family lacks a history of genetic disorders, he felt compelled to contribute through sperm donation as a compassionate gesture toward others.

    Image credits: Jonathan Jacob Meijer

    His stated reasons contrast with his portrayal in the documentary. For instance, according to one mother featured in the series, Meijer was characterized by a “God-like complex,” influenced by his striking features—long, flowing blonde hair and piercing deep blue eyes.

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    A childhood friend of his also offers insights into Meijer’s early years, revealing that during his youth, he grappled with the search for his own identity, often shifting between various jobs and appearances.

    Netflix has yet to respond to Meijer’s legal threats

    Image credits: Netflix

    “The documentary unfairly portrays Mr. Meijer and has caused significant harm to his reputation,” van der Zwan, who had already defended the YouTuber in 2023, stated in a press release. “We will be seeking damages for defamation and a retraction of the documentary.”

    Despite his legal challenges, Meijer maintains that his motivations for sperm donation were altruistic. “I wanted to help parents who struggled with infertility,” he reiterated in his video. “I never intended for any harm to come from my actions.”

    Meijer’s lawyer, Richard van der Zwan, confirmed their intention to pursue legal action against Netflix

    Image credits: Netflix

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    As the legal battle unfolds, Meijer continues to post updates on social media, rallying support from his followers and defending his stance against the documentary’s allegations. Meanwhile, Netflix still hasn’t officially responded to the content creator’s legal threats.

    Worries of potential incest and general disgust are among the main sentiments that viewers have shared in the aftermath of the documentary

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    Abel Musa Miño

    Abel Musa Miño

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

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    Abel is a journalist at Bored Panda. Born in Santiago, Chile, he holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication and a diploma in International Relations. In his spare time, you can find him tinkering with his motorbike, playing with his dog, or reading a good novel.

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    Abel Musa Miño

    Abel Musa Miño

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Abel is a journalist at Bored Panda. Born in Santiago, Chile, he holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication and a diploma in International Relations. In his spare time, you can find him tinkering with his motorbike, playing with his dog, or reading a good novel.

    Ugnė Lazauskaitė

    Ugnė Lazauskaitė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

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    I am employed as a Visual Editor in the news team. I make sure you have the best pictures near the most interesting text. In general all day I am looking at all you favourite celebrities facies and I am geting payed for it!

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    Ugnė Lazauskaitė

    Ugnė Lazauskaitė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I am employed as a Visual Editor in the news team. I make sure you have the best pictures near the most interesting text. In general all day I am looking at all you favourite celebrities facies and I am geting payed for it!

    What do you think ?
    Add photo comments
    POST
    Jessica SpeLangm
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So, there's a restriction on the number of donations ONE man can make (...Dutch fertility clinics imposed strict limits of 25 children per donor across 12 families, guidelines intended to safeguard against genetic risks and ensure responsible donor practices...), yet these clinics don't "talk to each other" to make sure that one man has already reached his limit and prevent him from continuing to donate. This is partially on the clinics for not doing their due diligence. But he knew the rules and "disobeyed" anyway. He should be sued and held accountable and never be allowed to donate again.

    rullyman
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Also there have been plenty of people who have worked without a clinic and gotten burnt that way. I read a magazine article about a man who used to donate to couples he found on Facebook! He had fathered 40 kids and there was no official record of it. Messed up.

    Load More Replies...
    Pittsburgh rare
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The guy's not nearly as hot or smart as he thinks to be spreading those genes that way. Imagine having to get DNA tested before engaging with someone because of some dude's ego.

    Load More Comments
    Jessica SpeLangm
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So, there's a restriction on the number of donations ONE man can make (...Dutch fertility clinics imposed strict limits of 25 children per donor across 12 families, guidelines intended to safeguard against genetic risks and ensure responsible donor practices...), yet these clinics don't "talk to each other" to make sure that one man has already reached his limit and prevent him from continuing to donate. This is partially on the clinics for not doing their due diligence. But he knew the rules and "disobeyed" anyway. He should be sued and held accountable and never be allowed to donate again.

    rullyman
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Also there have been plenty of people who have worked without a clinic and gotten burnt that way. I read a magazine article about a man who used to donate to couples he found on Facebook! He had fathered 40 kids and there was no official record of it. Messed up.

    Load More Replies...
    Pittsburgh rare
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The guy's not nearly as hot or smart as he thinks to be spreading those genes that way. Imagine having to get DNA tested before engaging with someone because of some dude's ego.

    Load More Comments
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